Braves
Florida State League Player of the Week: 3B Austin Riley – Braves
Honored for week spanning May 1st – 7th
Over the seven days spanning dates May 1-7, the Atlanta Braves Class-A Advanced affiliate the Florida Fire Frogs won five games finishing the week 5-2, while improving their record to 15-16 in the Florida State League North Division.
The Fire Frogs third baseman Austin Riley, who hit 20 home runs and drove in 80 in 2016 with the Class-A Full Rome Braves, has been enjoying a great start to the 2017 season, and put up big numbers lately during the Fire Frogs climb back to a .500 club.
During the week from May 1-7, Riley batted .462 (12 for 26) with five runs scored, a double, three home runs and 10 RBIs.
From May 4-5, Riley had back-to-back games where he hit a home run and drove in three runs. He also had the first walk-off victory in Fire Frogs history, hitting a single to right field, scoring Omar Obregon to defeat the league leading Threshers, 3-2 in 10 innings.
On the season, the Memphis, TN native has hit safely in 22 of 30 games, with nine multi-hit games, also enjoying two four-hit games, one on April 19th and the other on Sunday. In his last ten games, he has hit safely in eight of 10, batting .405 (15 for 37).
Riley also leads the Fire Frogs with 35 hits, 24 RBIs, and is second with 20 runs, seven home runs, and 59 total bases.
Congratulations to Austin Riley for being named Legends on Deck’s Florida State League Player of the Week spanning May 1-7.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
The Dunedin Blue Jays have been enjoying a good season so far, as they are 17-14, and only two games out of first in the FSL North Division. Their bats have been a major reason for their success and two of their ball players could have easily won our Player of the Week award if not for Austin Riley having his monster week. Blue Jays catcher Danny Jansen was an honorable mention last week and he is on the list again, batting .364 (8 for 22), with six runs scored, two doubles, three home runs, four RBIs, and three walks. Max Pentecost also a catcher, had a solid week as well, batting .385 (10 for 26), with five runs scored, two doubles, a home runs, six RBIs, and a walk. he also had a 17-game hitting streak snapped on may 6th, and has hit safely in 19 of 21 games om the season.
The Bradenton Marauders catcher Christian Kelley, hit in all five games that he appeared in during the past week, batting .526 (10 for 19), with three runs scored, a double, one home run, five RBIs and two walks.
The Tampa Bay Yankees first baseman Chris Gittens added his name to the list, after batting .380 (8 for 21), with five runs scored, a double, two home runs, five RBIs and three walks.
David Conde
David is the Founder and Co-Owner of Legends On Deck and Co-Host of the Legends On Deck Podcast. A lifelong sports fan with a special passion for the New York Mets and New York Knicks, David has spent more than a decade covering the sports he loves. From 2010 to 2014, he served as a Senior Editor for MetsMerized Online and Mets Minors, and in June 2014 fulfilled a lifelong dream by covering the New York Mets at Citi Field as a credentialed writer. As Legends On Deck has expanded beyond baseball, David has enjoyed diving into more sports, learning along the way and sharing those stories with readers and listeners. Married for over 27 years and the proud father of two adult sons, he continues to connect with sports fans through Legends On Deck, the podcast and social media.
